A Mix + Match Morning Routine

Whether your morning has 2 minutes or 2 hours free, these ideas can help start your day with intention and purpose.

Jun 24, 2025

I can think of very few routines that I have kept in place for years and years. I love to rearrange furniture, try new recipes, and basically switch things up on a fairly regular basis. I tend to like change - at least when it’s of my own choosing.

But I do have one daily routine that rarely changes, and when I do attempt to alter it in some way, I tend to default back to my basics in short order:

My morning routine.

I have basically implemented the same routine, most mornings, for over twenty years now. The timing and some elements have certainly changed as my children have grown from babies to young adults, for example, or as my workdays and schedules have shifted. But overall, my core practice has remained the same.

A quick internet search of morning routines yields some … shall we say, interesting results. I look at some of the ‘must do’ items and think I would be miserable if I started my day with them! So I’m definitely not here to prescribe the ‘ultimate perfect best-ever most-successful morning routine’ to you, because it’s not a one-size-fits-all deal. What I’d like to do instead is offer you a number of ideas with which you can experiment to see what starts your day off best for you. A mix and match approach, if you will.

One suggestion I will encourage right off the bat, however, is to consider why you want a morning routine - what you most want to gain from it. Clarity around your purpose for a morning routine will help you choose the actions and flow that will serve you best. And, as with so many things, knowing your why will likely help with motivation, focus, and a whole host of other supportive benefits, too.

I engage in my morning routine in order to set up my day with a positive and purposeful start, so you’ll see that reflected in the ideas I share below. If the purpose for your morning routine differs - maybe to get your workout in before the hustle-and-bustle of the day, for instance, or to wake up briskly and high-energy - the ideas below may not appeal to you. They may, however, support your evening routine or other times of the day, so feel free to read on even if your purpose for morning routines doesn’t match mine.

Also, I’m calling this a ‘mix + match’ routine for two reasons:

First, if having a set order of actions - ‘start with A, do ten minutes of B, make sure you do C before D…’ - doesn’t speak to you, you can start by choosing two or three different actions and approaching them in whatever order you feel on any given day. The order might not matter so much as the actual completion of the action.

Second, you might find that no particular action needs to be completed each day - that it’s more about honoring the time, in some way, each day. In that case, you might commit to reserving twenty minutes (or five or ninety) every morning for something meaningful, but you’ll decide at the start of that time what feels meaningful on that given day.

Morning Routine: A Pile of Purposeful Possibilities!

Alright, having said all that, let’s get into the ideas! Below is just a starting point - see which of these speak to you, and also let your own ideas rise up in the process. The best morning routine is the one that serves you and your ‘why’ best, and that’s going to look different for each of us!

Savor a beverage. Pour your glass of ice water, cup of coffee, mug of tea, or whatever starts your day off right. Enjoy each sip while watching the birds, taking in the scenery around you, or doing some mindful breathing.
Revel in gratitude. Consider something you’re grateful for this morning, or a particular delight from yesterday, and offer a word of thanks.
Review your purpose statement. Reflecting on your ‘why,’ and who you are as you live out that why, can provide a unique blend of groundedness + motivation.
Write in a journal/notebook. Whether a series of random thoughts (aka, a brain dump), lists, ideas, stream-of-consciousness flow … free up some mental space by getting things out of your mind and onto paper.
Ask a set-up-the-day question. Personally, I ask myself this one: ‘Who and how do I want to be in the world today?’
Read. Perhaps a passage from your spiritual text, a daily devotional, or a page from an uplifting piece of nonfiction.
Make a breakthrough map. Whether brainstorming ideas, mapping out steps to a project, or solving for a challenge, I end up doing this probably once a week, at least.
Create. Maybe a drawing in your sketchbook, a section in your cross stitch, or the next portion of the scarf you’re knitting.
Connect. Engage in prayer, meditation, or an action that helps you feel connected to yourself, your higher power, humanity, the world around you.
Set a theme or intention. Similar to the idea of an annual theme, but for the day instead.
Get fresh air. I know a few people who wander through their flower beds while sipping their morning coffee; even just a brief step outside for a few deep breaths can feel rejuvenating.
Write a card. A handwritten note of thanks or ‘thinking of you’ card can start your day off beautifully while also making someone else’s day when they receive it.
Move with intention. Even if you don’t do your regular exercise routine in the morning, a few gentle stretches (ie, as your coffee brews) can feel lovely.
Choose your Daily Top 3. If you have a big list of tasks for the day, which 3 do you most want or need to accomplish, even if the rest of the day goes off-track? Select your top 3 priorities to help bring clarity to the next part of your day.

What else comes to mind for you? Feel free to extend this list in the comment section!

Good Morning To You!

If you’re new to the morning routine, chances are some experimentation will be required, so feel free to play around with these or other ideas until you find the elements that serve you best.

I’d also suggest starting small, especially if you have limited time. Even just a few minutes could be enough time to note something you’re thankful for and set a theme or intention for the day, for instance. You can always build other actions into your routine as you go.

A few minutes in the morning can really make a difference in setting the tone for your day. Approach the morning routine process lightly, consider your ‘why,’ and have fun with the experience!

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Reading And Purpose

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